Rail anchor



Dec. 30, 1941. R THOMANN 2,268,327

RAIL ANCHOR iled March 27, 1941 a a 37 v M Patented Dec. 30, 1941 RAILANCHOR Robert Andrew Thomann, Clayton, Mo., assignor,

by direct and mesne assignments, of fortyseven per cent to WalterSchroeder, Wayne County, Mich.

Application March 27, 1941, Serial No. 385,527

Claims.

This invention relates to a rail anchor designed primarily for use inconnection with railway track rails, but it is to be understood that ananchor in accordance with this invention is for employment in anyconnection for which it may be found applicable.

The invention aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, ananchor of the class referred to, to prevent the creeping of a railwaytrack rail when installed relative to the latter.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a rail anchor having inherent means for locking it to the base ofa railway track rail when the anchor is installed.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a rail anchor having inherent means for looking it in overlappedrelation with respect to the base of a railway track rail.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a rail anchor including a base, a clamping jaw at one end of thelatter for overlapping having a tight fit with the lower and upper facesof one side of the base flange of a railway track rail, and meansextending from the other end of the base and engaging with the edge ofthe other side of the base flange of the railway rail for locking thejaw in position whereby the anchor will be fixedly secured to therailway track rail in depending relation with respect to the latter andto the cross tie to prevent the rail from creeping.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, an anchor for the purpose referred to, including a jaw foroverlapping the base flange of the railway rail and means for lockingthe jaw in such position.

The invention further aims -to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, an anchor for the purpose referred to, and of a form which,

' when installed relative to a railway track rail,

will prevent tie plate contact.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a rail anchor which is simple in construction and arrangement,strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, readilyinstalled with respect to a railway track rail without tie platecontact, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Embodylng the aims aforesaid, and others which may be hereinafter setforth, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts, as will be more specifically described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variationsand modifications may be resorted to which will come within the scope ofthe invention, as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a railway track rail, with thelatter mounted on a tie plate supported upon a cross tie, and showingthe adaptation of a rail anchor, in accordance with this invention, withrespect to the track rail, tie plate and cross tie, the anchor plate andtie being in side elevation.

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the structure shown by Figure 1, with therail shown in dot and dash lines; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the anchor.

With reference to the drawing, a railway track rail is generallyindicated at 5 and its head, web and base are indicated at 6, 1 and 8respectively. As is well known, the base 8 is in the form of a pair ofoppositely extending flanges 9, III disposed in lateral relation withrespect to the web I. The edges of the flanges 9, ID, are indicated atH, l2 respectively. The upper faces of the flanges 9, l0 inclinedownwardly from the web I to the edges II and I2 respectively. The lowerface of the base 8 is flat and is shown seated upon a metallic tie platel2 mounted on a wooden cross tie [3. The rail 9 and tie plate l2 aresecured to the cross tie l3 in a known manner.

The rail anchor, in accordance with this invention, is a one-piece bodyof any suitable metallic material. Preferably, the anchor will be madeof any suitable carbon steel to give desired strength and resiliencywhen it is installed relative to the rail. The anchor includes ahorizontally disposed base It, a clamping jaw l5 and a locking arm Hi.

The base l4 gradually decreases in width from the outer end H to theinner end Ill. The outer end H is squared. The inner end I8 is slightlyrounded. The top of the base is of greater length than the bottom IS.The latter is fiat. The base is substantially of trapezium contour inplan and of substantially rectangular form in side elevation with theinner end of each side upon a slight curve. The base has its width andlength greater than the height thereof. The base H has the outer portion20 of the top disposed at a higher level than the inner portion 2|thereof. The portions 20, 2| are separated by a transverse groove 22 ofconcave contour. The providing of the top of the base M of two levelsforms the base of a high portion and a low portion.

The body of the jaw I5 is of less cross sectional width than thetransverse cross sectional width 01' said base I 4. The jaw I5 includesa straight lower portion 23 which is integral at the lower side with thetop portion 20 of base I4, and it is spaced equi-distant from the sidesof base I4. The inner end of portion 23 is curved and forms an upwardcontinuation of the wall of the groove 22. The jaw I5 includes avertically disposed intermediate or outer portion 24 of arcuate contourand which may be termed a half round portion. The jaw I5 includes anupper portion 25 which is downwardly inclined to the horizontal, and itis disposed over, spaced from and of greater length than the portion 23.The inner terminal part of the said jaw portion 25 is arranged ininwardly extended relation with respect to the jaw portion 23. The outerend of the latter merges into the lower end of jaw portion 24. The outerend of jaw portion 25 merges into the upper end of jaw portion 24. Thejaw portion 25 gradually increases in width from its point or mergencewith jaw portion 24 towards its free end.

The upper face or edge of the jaw portion 23 is straight and it isemployed for binding against the lower face of the base 8 of the rail 5.The inner face or edge of jaw portion 24 is curved and it is to opposethe outer edge of a flange 9 or III. The inner face or edge of jawportion 25 has an inclined front part 25 and a straight rear part 21.The latter is for riding and binding on the upper surface of a flange 9or III. The normal position of the jaw I5 is as shown by Figure 3, andwhen positioned on a flange 9 or III the jaw portion 25 is extendedrelative to the jaw portion 23 such as is shown by Figure l. The jaw I5is driven on a flange 9 or I and when driven upon a flange, the jaw willappear as shown by Figure 1 with respect to the flange 9 of the rail 5.Owing to the manner in which the jaw I is constructed, the portions 23,25, when driven on a base flange. will tightly clamp on the upper andlower faces of the base 8. The front edge part 23 of jaw portion 25 isclear of rail 5 when the jaw I5 is clamped to the latter. Depending fromthe jaw portion 24, and integral with the outer end ll of base I4, is areinforcing web 28. The sides of the jaw I5 are grooved as at 29 fordecreasing the amount of material forming the jaw without impairing thestrength of the latter. The jaw I 5, prior to its being driven on thebase 8, of. the rail 5, will have the space between edge part 21 of jawportion 25 and the upper edge or face of jaw portion 23 such that itwill require the spreading of jaw portion 25 relative to jaw portion 23to position the clamp properly on the rail.

The locking arm I6 is of a length to engage the edge and lower face of aflange 9 or ID, for the purpose of locking the jaw on the rail 5. Thearm I6 includes a bar-like member 30 which, at its inner end, isintegral with the upper portion of the end I8 of the base I4. The member30 includes a part 3I which extends at an upward inclination withrespect to the base I4 and merges into a horizontally disposed angleshaped part 32. The inner end of member 30 is disposed centrally of theupper end of base I4. The member 30'preferably will be of rectangularcontour in transverse section and of less width than the jaw I5. Theangle shaped part 32 consists of a flat horizontal leg 33 and a verticalleg 34 at the amass? outer end of the leg 33. The upper face 35 of leg33 constitutes a seat. The leg 34 constitutes a locking or latchingmember. The upper end of part 31 of the arm I5 merges into the inner endof the leg 33 of the part 32. The latter is disposed at an angle to thepart 3|.

When the anchor is to be installed with respect to the rail 5 and itwill beassumed it is to have its jaw I5 clamped on the flange 3 of railbase 3, the jaw I5 is arranged on flange 3 in a position whereby therear end of jaw portion will be at the dot and dash line 36 and the highpoint of the locking member will bear against the lower face of flangeID at the dot and dash line 31. The outer side face of edge of the jawportion 24 is then impacted by any suitable instrument for the purposeof setting the jaw I5 relative to flange 3 or III, after which it isdriven on the flange by sledging at base end I! or jaw portion 23, toclamping or binding engagement with the rail. As the jaw is driven onthe rail,

. the arm I6 will be moved transversely of the bottom of the rail untilthe locking member or leg 34 snaps over and engages the edge I2 offlange ID, with the latter engaging the seat provided by the leg 33, andat this time the driving action is discontinued whereby the anchor islocked to the rail 5.

Owing'to the manner in which the jaw I5 and locking arm I6 are formedand arranged relatively to the base I4, they will not contact with thetie plate I2a as they are spaced from the latter. Owing tothe taperedform of the base I4 it provides for its inner end hitting the cross tiejust before its outer end throwing the first main strength at said innerend where the anchor is on the rail solid and secure.

To remove the anchor, strike a holding blow down on 34 and if needed,hit the jaw on one side to remove it.

The base I4 hits the wooden cross tie I3, but it must have considerablewear before the jaw I5 could hit the tie plate I2". Sometimes tie platesare wider than the wooden cross tie, or the tie plates extend out beyondthe cross tie and the jaws of some anchors but the tie plate and thewave motion of the rail when tramc is passing thereover, rocks the crosstie in the ballast and if some ballast is loose. it will work under thecross tie or the tie will work away from the ballast thus making itnecessary for track men to retamp the ballast and which entails more orless labor cost. Also the wave motion oi the rail, rubbing the jaw ofthe anchor band against the tie plate, causes the spikes to be distortedand loosened. Owing to the construction and arrangement of an anchor, inaccordance with this invention, tie plate contact, spike loosening andtie rocking are prevented.

What I claim is:

1. An anchor for a railway rail comprising a horizontally disposed basesubstantially oi trapezium contour in plan and of substantiallyrectangular form in side elevation for disposing in juxtaposition to oneside of a cross tie, a horizontally disposed inwardly opening clampingjaw for binding against one side of the base flange of the rail, saidjaw being disposed over and in upwardly extended relation with respectto the top of and offset relative to the outer end of said base, aresilient locking arm for correlation with an edge 01 said base flangedisposed substantially in laterally extended relation with respect tothe base and in a direction from said jaw, and said jaw being spacedlaterally inwardly from each side of the base.

2. An anchor for a railway rail comprising a horizontally disposed basefor disposing in juxtaposition to one side of a cross tie and ofsubstantially rectangular contour in side elevation, a horizontallydisposed inwardly opening clamping jaw for binding against one side ofthe base flange of the rail, said jaw being disposed over and inupwardly extended relation with respect to and integral with the outerside portion of the top of said base, said jaw being offset relative tothe outer end of said base, a resilient locking arm for correlation withan edge of said base flange disposed substantially in laterally extendedrelation with respect to the base and in a direction from said jaw, saidarm being in tegral with the upper portion of the other end of saidbase, said base decreasing in width from said jaw to said arm, and saidjaw and arm being spaced inwardly from each side of the base.

3. An anchor for a railway rail comprising a solid horizontally disposedbase for disposing in juxtaposition to one side of a cross tie andformed of a top, a bottom, a pair of sides, an outer end and an innerend, a horizontally disposed inwardly opening clamping jaw for bindingagainst one side of the base flange of the rail, said jaw being disposedin upwardly extended relation with respect to and integral with aportion of the top of said base, and a resilient locking arm integralwith the inner end of said base for correlation with an edge of saidbase flange. disposed substantially in laterally extended upwardlyinclined relation with respect to the top of said base and in adirection from said jaw, the sides of said arm and jaw being spacedinwardly from both sides of said base.

4. A rail anchor comprising a horizontally dis posed base including atop, a pair of sides, a bottom, an outer end and an inner end, ahorizontally disposed inwardly opening upstanding clamping jaw integralwith a part of the top of said base, said jaw being offset with respectto the outer end of said base and having its sides spaced equi-distantinwardly from the sides of the base, and a resilient locking armintegral with the inner end of said base, extending in a direction fromsaid jaw and having its sides spaced equidistant inwardly from the sideof said base, said jaw and arm being of materially less width than thewidth of said base.

5. A rail anchor comprising a horizontally disposed base including atop, a pair of sides, a bottom, an outer end and an inner end, ahorizontally disposed inwardly opening upstanding clamping jaw integralwith a part of the top of said base, said jaw being offset with respectto the outer end of said base and having its sides spaced equi-distantinwardly from the sides of the base, a resilient locking arm integralwith the inner end of said base, extending in a direction from said jawand having its sides spaced equi-distant inwardly from the sides of saidbase, said jaw and arm being of materially less width than the width ofsaid base, and said base gradually decreasing in width from its outer toits inner end.

ROBERT ANDREW THOMANN.

